Kite (Hunter × Hunter Series)
Kite (カイト, Kaito) was a Hunter and Ging Freecss' student. After his death, he was reborn as Meruem's twin sibling and a member of the Chimera Ant Royal Family. She was originally named Reina (レイナ, Reina), after Colt's sister, but took to calling herself Kite once again. Appearance Kite was a tall, slender man in his late twenties or early thirties. In the manga and the 2011 anime, he was thin to the point of being gaunt, with long, flowing white hair with the longer locks reaching his knees. He had an inverted triangle-shaped face with a hooked nose, a pointy chin and big, roundish-almond eyes with small hazel irises. He wore a light blue peaked cap resembling a beret, a long-sleeved white shirt with a turtleneck, an azure sash (perhaps an obi) wound three times about his waist, black trousers, and brown shoes. In the 1999 anime, he has more handsome traits, with gentler features, thin almond eyes of dark color, brown hair, and a more muscular physique. In this representation, he wears a purple peaked cap, a lilac long-sleeved shirt with a turtleneck, a yellow obi from which hangs a katana with a blue-green hilt and sheath, black trousers, and shoes. As a Chimera Ant, Kite is a girl with long red hair, purple eyes, and freckles covering her face. They have a rat-like tail and wear a black leather suit and pants. Personality Kite is stern and stoic, occasionally blunt to the point of appearing rude. Although some may regard them as cold-hearted, they are actually caring, fond of animals as they are of people. However, they never hesitate, not even when they must take a life, as little as they like it: in fact, after saving Gon, they punched him because his ignorance led to the death of a Foxbear. During his initial introduction as Meruem's sibling, Kite was an enthusiastic child, still playing with stuffed toys and swords, and still being watched over by Colt.3 After only a few days, however, they matured and seemed to return to their former personality as a result of recovering their memories. They then helped both Koala and Gon assuage their feelings of guilt and gave the former a new purpose in life, although he formulated it as a threat. Plot Past Kite does not know where he was born.5 At some point of his life he became Ging Freecss' disciple, an experience which he believes to have saved him from dying in a pestilent alley; he was taught the rudiments of being a Hunter,2 including Nen.6 Some time after his son's birth Ging took Kite to Greed Island and, unbeknownst to him, had Elena rig his contact so that if Gon took an "Accompany" instead of a "Magnetic Force" out of the game, he would be sent to Kite instead. Kite eventually passed the Hunter Exam; however, Ging was not satisfied and gave Kite one last hurdle: he wanted Kite to catch him.2 It might be around this time that Kite met Spinner Clow and Stick Dinner and heeded their pleas to save the mountain that was home to the Small-billed Swan, financing its purchase for them.5 The lack of clues about Ging's location finally led Kite to Ging's home, Whale Island, where he met an eight-year-old Gon for the first time as he was being attacked by a Foxbear mother protecting its cub. Kite saved Gon by killing the mother and then punched and chastised the boy because his ignorance had forced Kite to take the creature's life. He then tried to put down the Foxbear cub, claiming that it would grow up hating humans and would, therefore, be a danger to them. However, Gon stopped Kite and vowed to raise the cub. Kite then recognized him as Ging's son and informed him that his father did not die in an accident (as he had been told by Mito), but that he was a professional Hunter and also his mentor. Kite then left Ging's Hunter License in the boy's possession before resuming his search for Ging, claiming it to be the most difficult hunt in the world.2 Shortly after encountering Gon, Kite succeeded in his task. He then took on a three-year contract documenting unknown species for the Kakin government with his group of friends. Although he discovered the lowest number of species, his discovery of Camp Tigers marked the most important accomplishment of the group. Hunter Exam arc Three years prior to the 287th Hunter Exam, Kite traveled to Whale Island in hopes of getting leads to the whereabouts of his teacher, Ging Freecss. He received a warning call from a squirrel and saved Gon from a Foxbear mother protecting its cub. Kite killed the mother to save the boy, but later chastised Gon for making him kill it, explaining the territorial mark the Foxbear left everywhere in the area. He gave the boy an antiseptic for the wound. He then tried to kill the cub, claiming it will grow up hating humans and will, therefore, be a danger to them. Gon, however, stopped Kite and claimed he wanted to raise the cub on his own.2 Upon seeing the determined look on the boy's face, Kite asked if his father's name is Ging. Gon replied positively, and Kite informed him that his father did not die in an accident, contrary to what Gon's aunt Mito told him. According to Kite, Ging is a professional Hunter and had saved Kite from dying, later becoming his mentor. He left Ging's Hunter License in the boy's possession and then left the island to find Ging as a final test—claiming that it is the most difficult hunt in the world. Chimera Ant arc After Gon completes Greed Island, he uses the "Accompany" card in an attempt to fly to Ging with Killua. However, Gon is redirected to another person due to Ging's trickery.7 When Gon and Killua get near him, they are suddenly pushed away. It turns out that they were standing on top of a Chimera Ants' nest and they could get killed anytime if the man didn't use his ability. The person who attacked them is actually Kite.9 The trio is later seen eating by a bonfire while telling stories. Kite tells the boys how he met Ging and how it changed his life. He also reveals that he had found Ging.8 Kite has been hired by the Kakin Empire to do ecological research as part of a biological survey, leading a team of six youths aspiring to become Hunters.8 When another expedition team finds an arm belonging to an enlarged Chimera Ant Queen washed up onto the shore, Kite's group sets out to find the origin source.10 He reasons that the animal probably ended up in the Neo-Green Life (NGL) Autonomous State and enters the region with Gon and Killua in order to suppress the dangerous creature.11 Upon arrival to NGL, only he, Gon, Killua, Stick Dinner, and Podungo Lapoy are able to advance because of the country's strict rules. Shortly after, the team receives a message from Ponzu—already in NGL with Pokkle.12 On their way to help, they are too late to save Ponzu. After following the trails of dead bodies, they meet Rammot. Kite uses this chance to test the boys and see if they could defeat a Chimera Ant. The group soon discovers a narcotics factory in the country, formerly producing weapons and the drug 'D²'. There they encounter Yunju and his team. Knowing that Yunju is the leader, Kite is the one who faces him while the boys take on Yunju's subordinates.14 Kite effortlessly fights him15 until he finally uses his Crazy Slots ability. The roll is 4, which produces a carbine. He shoots Yunju in the head, killing him. He later clarifies that the best way to kill Chimera Ants is to aim for the head and do it as quickly and silently as possible. Yunju's death is immediately discovered by the ants so the trio becomes targets of the Hagya Division. On their way to the nest, they are blocked by a huge number of Chimera Ants led by Frog.17 They are given options by the officer and they choose to fight the Ants one by one.18 After Gon and Killua defeat their opponents, Kite faces Frog and activates his Nen ability. The roll is 2 and the roulette turns into a scythe. Using his scythe's ability, Kite defeats the entire division in one blow. When they get closer to the nest, Kite touches Neferpitou's En to feel their strength.20 Sensing him, the ant appears, cutting off Kite's right arm while he screams to Gon and Killua to getaway. Knowing that they would only be a hindrance to him, Killua knocks out Gon and retreats, taking his friend with him. Kite uses his Nen ability to conjure a mace-like weapon to buy some time for them to escape.21 Unable to stand up to the Chimera Ant's strength, Kite is killed by Neferpitou.22 Since Neferpitou enjoyed their fight with Kite, they keep the body instead of feeding it to the Queen. Soon after, his body is reanimated23 and used as a training dummy for new Ant recruits. Knuckle and Shoot manage to capture him afterward and bring him before Gon. After taking some blows from Kite, Gon hugs him and vows to get Neferpitou so he can save him. Unknown to Meruem and the three Royal Guards, there is another infant born at the same time when Meruem was born. After finding the child in the Queen's remains, Colt, a division commander extremely loyal to the Queen swears to protect the child at all costs.25 Colt then raises him as a normal human being so that both of them are granted protection by Morel. Kite appears to grow at the rate of a regular Chimera Ant, and by the end of the Chimera Ant crisis, he already appears to be a young girl in early childhood. 13th Hunter Chairman Election arc The Hunter Association has classified Kite and Colt as magical beasts to keep them from being hunted down. It is revealed that the apparent young girl has all of Kite's memories.3 Ging Freecss hypothesizes that Kite's survival has something to do with their ability Crazy Slots; whereby there is a number that will only appear when Kite has a strong will to survive and does not wish to die. When they next appear, Kite looks older and talks with Koala. After listening to his story, they propose to him to stay by their side forever, to atone for his sins in his life as a human and as a Chimera Ant. Then, Gon appears and apologizes to Kite for Neferpitou's incident, and says that they both need more training and that next time, he will protect them, fighting by their side. Both of them smile and Kite says that they are delighted that Gon came to see them and that he should go after Ging, assuring him that when they will need help, they will contact him and Killua. They say goodbye to each other and Gon goes to find Ging. Kite is then seen again with Gon, Koala, and the Amateur Hunters, watching a flock of Small-billed Swans. Trivia * Kite is the first character to be shown in the manga. * In one of Hunter × Hunter's card collections, the character is also alternatively named as "Kcyytt".31 * Kite did not play the Greed Island game properly, but he reveals that Ging took him inside the game once.7 ** His in-game nickname was probably "Ngig" (ＮＩＧＧ).7 * Although it was stated that Kite's group changed clothing when they entered NGL, he seems to wear the same outfit.30 * There is a running gag when Kite uses his Crazy Slots ability in which he always complains he got a "bad spin". Despite this, he usually gets a very good weapon for the situation at hand. * Kite is currently the only known Chimera Ant who both remembers their past life and is of a different biological sex to their past self. ** They are also the only Chimera Ant to show evident signs of growth. * According to the "Hunter × Hunter Manual" section found in the Yu ☆ Yu ☆ Hakusho official character book (Shueisha Jump remix),* Kite's stats are: Quotes Gallery Kite/GalleryCategory:Hunter × Hunter